[ Spotlight: UPS ]
Wessex Electrical has installed a large 1,250 kVA generator and a 400kVA UPS system from shentongroup as part of the extensive refurbishment of an old retail headquarters in Southampton for its new occupiers, insurance company Ageas Insurance. Although working within
Wessex and shentongroup deliver insurance policy shentongroup worked
an existing building, the scope of works made the project similar to a new build. A standby generator was required for the building’s data centre and overall infrastructure and the UPS was specifi ed to support the data centre only.
together with Wessex Electrical to manage the install. The most complex area to manage was the transportation and delivery of the system. The 18-tonne generator required specialist transportation because of its sheer size. Measuring 9.5 metres long, 3.5 metres high and 3 metres wide, the system was delivered in three parts (main container, exhaust system and outlet attenuator) and craned in using a contract lift. As the site was vacant, a
full system test could take place without having to plan
‘Data centres need to protect their power supply so that, in the event of a mains failure, servers keep on running and users do not experience any service interruptions. Most commonly, this power protection comes in the form of UPS systems that provide continuously clean power into the data centre, even in the event of a total power failure.’ For Jorma Mannerkoski, vice president, sales northern Europe at Eaton, there are opportunities for the switched-on contractor. ‘We are seeing strong growth in the contractor-driven UPS sector, not least because contractors are looking for opportunities to expand their businesses and to provide their customers with complete solutions. UPS systems are critical items of equipment found in every situation where it is essential to maximise uptime, which means that contractors are seeing requirements for UPS systems on an almost daily basis.’ Despite the talk of an upturn, some are still
exercising a note of caution. ‘There is no doubt the UPS market is still recovering from the impact of the economic crash in 2008,’ says Alan Luscombe, sales and marketing director for Uninterruptible Power Supplies Ltd (UPSL). ‘Recovery has been long and fragmented, with the market just about coming back to 2008 levels. This has made the market for contractor-driven UPS very competitive, which is a positive from a contractor point of view.’
Drivers So what are the key drivers infl uencing choice of equipment? ‘Effi ciency and associated service levels,’ claims Darren Pearce, managing director at Powertecnique. ‘Increasingly, the ability to reduce carbon footprint is playing a part. These criteria are closely followed by trust in the supplier, evidenced
December 2013 ECA Today 53
for continuity of power for the changeover. This critical test gives the client peace of mind that the maintained
system will protect the business in case of power failure, from a ‘glitch’ to an extended power cut.
Large scale UPS container system supplied by shentongroup
UPS systems are critical items of equipment found in every situation where it is essential to maximise uptime
by previous experience on similar projects. It would seem some customers prefer a “one-stop shop” – we are often selected because we provide such a wide off er on top of UPS, including generators and service packages. Price will always play a role in negotiating a contract, of course, with customers looking to award preferred supplier status in return for enhanced arrangements. But with something as mission-critical as UPS, few will put initial cost above effi ciency, strong service and trust.’ Contractors should be prioritising quality and,
of course, choosing UPSs that meet legal standards in the UK in relation to, for example, back-feed
Eaton 93E UPS
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